2026 Formula 1 cars to be a couple of seconds slower than current ones – Nikolas Tombazis. Nikolas Tombazis confirms the 2026 F1 cars will not be record-breaking ones.

According to the FIA’s technical chief for single-seaters, teams have found some gray areas that have made chasing between cars more difficult in 2023.

Battle against gray areas towards 2026
British Formula One managing director, motor sports and technical director Ross Brawn had thundered ahead of 2022, warning that any design choices against the spirit of the regulations would be penalized. The revolution with the return of ground effect in F1 was intended to allow drivers to duel more easily, and indeed, at the beginning of the 2022 Formula 1 championship, the races were decidedly intense and fought, with Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc securing two race wins from the first three events, in Australia and Bahrain.

In 2023, however, the trend worsened regarding close chasing between two single-seaters, with the pursuing car again being affected by dirty airflows, which also led to excessive tire degradation or higher wear due to proximity to the car in front.

Nikolas Tombazis, FIA’s technical chief for single-seaters, explained that teams have found loopholes, gray areas in the regulations, to make it more difficult for one car to chase another: “The 2023 season has seen a worsening of close chases. Cars have lost a bit of the ability to chase each other, and we think we understand why and what we need to do.” – the former Ferrari racing car designer explained in a recent interview for Autosport.

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One of the targets is, for example, the protrusions on the front wings that will be unequivocally addressed by the 2026 Formula One regulations. Regarding the speed and lap times of the next generation of single-seaters, Nikolas Tombazis believes they will not be record-breaking cars: “I believe they will be slightly slower cars, within two seconds, but even if they turn out to be slower by five seconds, we won’t worry.” – the FIA Single Seater Director concluded.